Packaging container with opening device and method for manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

A packaging container for pourable food product comprises a first side having a material laminate structure, a first and second transversal seal and a longitudinal seal extending from the first transversal seal to the second transversal seal. An opening device on the first side of the package comprises a tab portion on an outer surface coupled to an opening strip portion via a bridge penetrating through the material laminate structure to rupture the material of the packaging container to create an opening. The opening strip portion is attached on the inner surface and extends along a substantial portion of the transversal dimension of the first side.

The present invention relates to a packaging container with an opening device

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Consumable liquid or pasteurized food products are often sold in packages made of sterilized packaging material. Typical examples for such packages include the Tetra Brik® or Tetra Brik® Aseptic in the shape of a brick stone, or the Tetra Fino® package more resembling a pillow or pouch.

The packaging material used for those packages comprises a multilayer structure. One or more layers of plastics, and aluminum foil (depending on the package type) are laminated on both sides of a card board of paperboard layer, the latter having different stiffness, strength and thicknesses depending on the package type.

Packages of this sort are normally produced on fully automatic packaging machines, on which a continuous tube is formed from the web-fed packaging material; the packaging material is sterilized inside the packaging machine, e.g. by radiating the web using a low voltage electron beam or a chemical sterilization agent. The material is then folded in a sterile environment and sealed longitudinally to form a vertical tube.

The tube is filled with the sterilized or sterile-processed food product, is sealed transversally and subsequently cut along equally spaced cross sections to form pillow packs and sometimes further processed to substantially parallelepiped-shaped, packages like the above mentioned packages.

To open the packages described above, various solutions have been proposed. In patent application WO2009000927, by the present applicant, an alternative opening device is presented. In that application a spout and a corresponding membrane is injection molded in the same molding step, directly onto a sheet of packaging material. Pillow like packages such as the Tetra Fino® Aseptic package may contain a straw hole or simply as a cut indicator, which is facilitated by a rather thin and thus tearable packaging material being used.

Despite the variances of opening for the different packages, there is still a need for further variances, particularly for high pouring speed, but also with reduced material consumption and production time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For the purpose of the invention the terms container, package and packaging container refer to the same structure. In addition, the terms material, material laminate structure or package material refers to the package material laminate structure used in the packaging container.

The invention proposes a packaging container for pourable food product, which has a width, height and depth. The packaging container is closed by a first transversal seal in a top portion of the packaging container, a second transversal seal in a bottom portion of the package as well as longitudinal seal. The term transversal seal in this regard refers to a seal substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal seal. The longitudinal seal normally extends substantially across the length or height of the package. In other words, the transversal seal spans across the width or depth of the packaging container.

An opening device on a first side of the packaging container comprises at least a tab portion and an opening strip portion. The tab portion is arranged on an outer surface of the first side and coupled to the opening strip portion via a material bridge penetrating through the material of the first side, such that it opening devices ruptures the material during opening of the packaging container. Further, the opening portion is attached on an inner surface of the material of the first side extending along a substantial portion of the first side and particular a substantial portion of the width of the first side.

With the invention an opening device is arranged on a package, which enables the package to be ripped open across substantially the whole width of the package. Hence, a relatively large opening is created allowing the food to be poured quick and efficient. The opening strip portion provides a predetermined rupture line, on which the packaging container is ripped open, so a random opening, (often a problem in packages without such predetermined lines) is prevented.

In an embodiment of the invention, the opening strip portion may be arranged close to the top transversal seal, particularly above a level of pourable food product filled into the packaging container. This allows a quick opening reducing the risk of spoiling liquid food. In an aspect of the invention, the transversal seal closer to the opening device may be folded away from the opening device. In such arrangement it has been found that the package sides extend outwards increasing the opening.

Another aspect of the invention deals with the width or length of the opening device. In another embodiment, a distal end of the opening strip portion is arranged substantially at an edge, i.e. a longitudinal edge of the packaging container. The opening strip portion then may extend substantially parallel to the seal towards another seal of the packaging container.

Alternatively and/or in addition, the material bridge and the proximal end of the opening strip portion may be arranged close to or substantially at an edge, i.e. a longitudinal edge of the packaging container.

In this regard, the term distal end refers to the end of the tab portion which is furthest away from the tab portion or the material bridge. Accordingly, the proximal end of the opening strip portion is the end closest to the material bridge.

In an embodiment, the opening strip portion extends along more than 40% of width of the package, particularly more than 60% or even more than 80%. In some embodiments, the opening strip portion may extend substantially along the whole width of the packaging container reduced by the dimension of the tab portion.

Another aspect of the invention refers to the arrangement of the opening device on the packaging container. In an embodiment, the opening strip portion is arranged closely to a transversal edge of the first side substantially parallel to the first transversal seal. A “transversal edge” is an edge of the package along its width. As in such case the edge separates the packaging container into a top side portion and a main side portion, the opening device and particularly the opening strop portion of the opening device may be arranged on the top side portion. Alternatively, the opening strip portion can be arranged directly on such edge.

In another embodiment, the material of the package may comprise a laminate structure with a plurality of layers and a weakened area, in which the bridge is penetrating the material laminate structure. In the weakened area, a thickness of the material laminate structure is reduced. For instance one or more layers of the material laminate structure are missing in the weakened area. The bridge and the opening device can be manufactured by injection molding or similar technologies. The material of the bridge is injected into the material and penetrates the weakened area. If the material structure laminate itself is thin enough, then the material bridge and the opening device can be arranged directly on the material without having a specific weakened area.

Often, the material and thickness of carton based layer being part of the material layer is crucial for the decision if a weakened area is needed or not.

Yet another aspect refers to the predetermined rupture line. In an embodiment, the opening device comprises a support portion to facilitate opening the package along the predetermined rupture line provided by the opening strip portion. The support portion may be arranged on the outer surface adjacent to an area opposite the opening strip portion. In an embodiment, the support portion may be arranged closer to the bottom of the packaging container, or the second transversal seal and may comprise a strip similar to the opening strip portion but arranged on the outside of the package. In another, embodiment, the support portion may circumvent the opening strip portion on both sides on the outer surface. Such arrangement of a support portion provides an even better opening and predetermined rupture line. It may also stabilize the material during the opening process, reducing the risk of spoiling any liquid.

In an embodiment, a distance (in the longitudinal direction) between the opening strip portion and the support portion is in the range of 0.1 to 2 times the thickness of material laminate structure. In other words, the support portion is arranged very closely to the opening strip portion. The opening device including all support and opening strip portions may be made of plastic material.

Another aspect is related to facilitate the shape of the created opening. In an embodiment of the invention, the packaging container and more particular the side, on which the opening is arranged, may comprise one or more compression or crease lines extending from the opening strip portion as to facilitate the shape of the opening upon exerting pressure on the packaging container with a component parallel to the transversal direction.

Different shapes and structure of such crease lines are possible. In an embodiment, the side of the packaging container may comprises two compression lines extending close from or from respective edges of the opening strip to a common intersection on said side or a bottom edge of the first side. In some embodiments, the side further comprises a third compression line extending from substantially a center or close thereto of the opening strip along the longitudinal direction towards the second seal.

In an alternative embodiment, the side may comprise at least two compression lines extending from substantially a center or close thereto of the opening strip towards a bottom edge of said side or a side edge of said side.

Another aspect is related to a method for manufacturing the packaging container. The method comprises the step of providing a packaging material blank or web having crease lines for a container to be folded and an area of weakening. An opening device is attached to the packaging material blank, the opening device having a tab portion, an opening strip portion extending substantially parallel along a crease line separating a min panel side for a top closure panel side. The tab portion is connected to the opening strip portion via a bridge through the material laminate structure of the packaging material blank.

In an embodiment, the packaging material blank comprises a weakened area, which lacks one or more layer of the material laminate structure. The bridge connecting the tab portion the opening strip portion penetrates the weakened area.

The blank with the opening tab is bottom folded, filled and finally sealed. Alternatively, the blank is part of a web, in such case the web is folded into a tube and then longitudinally sealed, before a liquid is filled into the tube. The tube is sealed as to for a bottom and top sealing and then separated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention will be now described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating several aspects and embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an opening according to the present invention on a pillow-like package;

FIG. 2 illustrates the embodiment of figure one in a state, after the opening has been performed by a consumer;

FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention using a brick-like package;

FIG. 4 shows the second embodiment in an “opened state”;

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the invention using a brick-like package;

FIG. 5A illustrates a respective cut-view along the axis X-X of the embodiment of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows a fifth embodiment according to the present invention;

Similar features in the drawings bear similar reference signs. It should be noted that the features in the different embodiments can of course be combined by a skilled person to form yet another alternative without deviating from the inventive concept.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a first embodiment of the invention for a pouch like package. The packaging container 1 has a width extending along a transversal direction T and a length extending along a longitudinal direction L. The packaging container contains liquid pourable food and comprises a package material structure laminate made of a plurality of different layers. These layers include a carton based layers for stability and one or more plastic material layers acting as décor layer for protecting a print on the outside or as a gas barrier on the inside. In some cases a light barrier layer, e.g. aluminum is included in case of aseptic packages with a long shelf life.

The pouch like packaging container 1 is sealed on the top and bottom by a transversal seal 11 and 10, respectively, and folded as to form a front side 18 and a back side 19. On the back side, a longitudinal seal (not shown) is arranged from the top transversal seal 11 to the bottom seal 10.

The pouch like packaging container further comprises an opening device in the top portion 12 of the container. Said opening device includes on the front side 18 a tab portion 14 in the shape of a drop with some ripple for an improved grip and a support portion 16 and 13. Support portion 16 surrounds an area around the tap portion while support portion 13 extends along the transversal direction T almost all along the width of the package. It surrounds a small elongated area 17 of material.

Tab portion 14 is connected in an area 15 of the material laminate with an opening strip portion 17 a arranged on the inner surface of front side 18. Said opening strip portion 17 a, shown in FIG. 2 extends as an elongated strip all the way till the distal end of support portion 13. It is connected to the tab portion by a material bridge penetrating through the material laminate and predetermines a rupture line.

When opening the packaging container, as shown in FIG. 2, a user pulls the tab portion toward the distal end of the support portion. The tab and the bridge rupture the material laminate open, starting from the bridge in area 15. Support portion 13 facilitates and supports the rupturing. The opening is arranged close to the top seal 11 in the top portion 12, so spoiling is reduced or even prevented.

In this embodiment, the created opening extends along about 60% of the package width. By exerting small pressure on the longitudinal edges of packaging container 1, one can reshape the opening to form a circular or oval opening for an improved pouring. The support portion 13 made of plastic enhances stability for such re-shape.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention utilizing a brick-like packaging container 2. Container 2 comprises a front wall 20, two sidewalls 21 and a back wall 29. Flaps 22 are arranged on the sidewall by folding them after the top portion 23 of the packaging container is transversally sealed. The transversal seal 24 is folded such that it faces the front wall 20. Likewise flaps are arranged on the bottom of the package (not shown). A longitudinal seal 22 a is provided on the bottom side of the packaging container.

The container 2 further includes an opening device 200 arranged on an edge separating the front wall 20 from the top portion 23. The opening device extends from an upper outside corner 27 of the packaging container along substantially the whole width in the transversal direction T to a weakened area 209 close to the other upper corner and the edge 28. Two support strips extend along the width of the package, a first one on the top portion of the packaging container, right adjacent to the edge, and a second support strip 203 on the front wall adjacent to the edge. The two strips thereby enclose the edge of the packaging container separating front wall 20 from top portion 23. The opening device comprises a tab 201 in the shape of a pull tab of a zipper like-alike, which is flatly arranged on the top portion 23. Tab 201 is connected via a material bridge to an opening strip portion (not shown) arranged on the inside of the package along the edge to corner 27.

The packaging container further comprises two crease lines 25 extending from the upper corners 27 and 27 a to a common center point 26 on the lower edge of the package. A central crease line 29 a extends from a central point 210 on the upper edge down to the common central point 26.

The open configuration of the package is illustrated in FIG. 4. The opening strip portion 202 arranged on the inner surface of wall 20 has ruptured the material and created a small elongated opening. By exerting pressure on the sidewalls, the crease lines 25 and 29 a fold to provide a V-shaped opening to facilitate the pouring. Support strip 203 stabilizes the opening and comprises a small weakening in the area 210 for a better bending or folding. The top portion in this embodiment remains flat, but it may bend up-wards or downwards, depending on the folding of the transversal seal 24.

FIG. 5 shows yet another embodiment of the invention. Packaging container 3 is of brick like shape with its top seal 34 being folded not facing the front side. The longitudinal seal 32 a is arranged on the top, the bottom and the back side of container 3. Container 3 comprises a different opening device on its front side 30. A tab 301 arranged on the front side 30 is connected in a circular weakened area 309 to an opening strip portion 302 arranged on an inner surface of front side. The opening strip portion extends substantially parallel to upper edge 38 a from about one edge 38 to the about other edge 38 of the packaging container. A small distance D is between the opening strip portion and the respective edges 38.

On the outer surface of front side 30, two support portions 305 and 306 are arranged. The support portions include the weakened area 309 and surround said area and the entire opening strip portion on the inner surface being area 306. Support portion 305 comprises an elongated strip extending parallel between the upper edge 38 a and the opening strip portion. Second support portion 306 comprises a first part with increased thickness (referring to the dimension into the longitudinal direction), arranged centrally and two adjacent small portions of about the same thickness as support portion 305. Bridge portions connect both support portions 304 and 305. A transition between the thick central area and the thinner adjacent area is S-shaped, but other shapes, can be used as well. The central thick area improves the pouring functionality after the packaging container has been opened. It hence may act as pouring support. The lower support 304 comprises a centrally arranged small recess 310 which acts as a bending point. The recess is aligned with two crease lines 25 extending from said recess two the longitudinal edges 38 in a curve shaped manner. When opening the package exerting pressure the front side 30 bends forward, as does the top portion due to the folding of the top transversal seal, thereby creating a big opening.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the opening strip portion in area 306 on the inner surface extends about 90% of the packaging container width. As it is slightly spaced from the upper edge 38 a, it is possible to extend the opening strip portion around longitudinal edges 38 and onto the sidewall(s) of the container. Consequently, the weakened area is arranged on a sidewall of the package close the longitudinal edge, with the opening strip portion extending around the edge, along the main panel and to the other sidewall.

FIG. 5A illustrates a cut view through the axis X-X of FIG. 5. Starting from upper edge 38 a, the support portion 306 as a thin strip is arranged on the outer surface of first wall 30. The opening strip portion 302 is arranged on the inner surface of in a longitudinal distance d form the support portion 305. Said distance d might be smaller than a thickness M of the material laminate structure of the front side. For example it may be as small as 0.1 to 0.5 times the thickness of material M. A small longitudinal distance between the support portions 304, 305 on the outer surface and the opening strip portion on the inner surface may improve the opening process, as it facilitates a pre-determined rupturing line. The height h of the support portions is higher than the height of the opening strip line 302.

FIG. 6 shows yet another example of the present invention. In this embodiment, top transversal seal 44 is folded away for the longitudinal seal 42 a for the top portion 43 to bend up. The opening device in this embodiment comprises tab portion 401 connected via a bridge in weakened area 409 through the material laminate to an opening strip portion. The opening strip portion extends parallel to the upper edge 402 about 80% of the package. The opening strip portion is arranged very closely to the upper edge, such that when opening the package the created opening is directly adjacent to upper edge 402. Below the opening strip portion towards the bottom of the package, the opening device comprises a support portion 404 having a centrally arranged bulge and adjacently arranged smaller ends. The bulge of support portion 404 centrally comprises a small recess acting as a weakening for an improved bending along crease lines 45. The crease lines 45 extend in an s-shaped fashion from a central point adjacent to the opening strip portion in the area covered by support portion 404 to the lower corners of the packaging container. When opening the package and exerting pressure on the sidewall of the packaging container, the front side bulges forward creating a bell-mouthed opening for improved pouring. Such bell-mouthed or funnel-shaped opening can be achieved by various crease lines extending form an area close to the opening to the edges or corners of the package.

An alternative embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 7. The package comprises transversal seal 54, folded flaps 52, longitudinal seal 52 a on the back side 59 of the package and an opening device on the front side of the package. The opening device on the front side comprises an opening strip portion 502 on the inner surface of the front side arranged centrally with distances D from each longitudinal edge 58 of the package and at some smaller distance from the upper edge. The latter distance is chosen such that when opening the package the level of liquid is below the predetermined rupture line defined by opening strip 502. The transversal dimension (dimension along transversal direction T) is about 50% of the package width.

The opening device further comprise a tab portion arranged flatly on the package wall and connected vie the material bridge through weakened area 509 to the opening strip portion. The opening strip portion 502 and the predetermined rupture line is surrounded by a support portion 500 and 500 a from all sides. More particular, the support portion encloses weakened area 509 and the opening strip portion. The lower part 503 of the support portion also acts as a pouring support after opening the package. The front side further comprises two crease lines 55 extending from the outer edges of the support portion towards a centrally arranged point 56 shifted from the bottom of the package upwards by distance Ld. A centrally arranged crease line extends from the centre of the support portion towards central point 56 substantially parallel to the edges.

When opening the packaging container and exerting pressure on the side wall, the triangle portion of the front side enclosed by the crease lines 55 and the support portion will bend forward and form a funnel shaped outlet. The support portion facilitates proper pouring without spilling.

All features shown herein in the various embodiments can be combined in different ways without deviating from the inventive concept. Depending on the shape and dimension of the opening on the front side or the top portion, one may use different crease lines or support portion in the opening device. It should also be noted that the shape of the support portions, the opening tab and/or the crease lines can vary and may include aesthetical aspects and contain not purely technical functionality.

REFERENCE LIST

-   1, 2, 3 packaging container -   10 bottom transversal seal -   11 top transversal seal -   12 top portion -   13, 16 support portion -   14 tab portion -   17 area -   17 a opening strip portion -   18 front page, first side -   20, 30, 40, 50 front page, first side -   22 flaps -   22 a, 32 a, 42 a longitudinal seal -   22, 32, 42 flaps -   23, 33 top portion -   24, 34, 44 top transversal seal -   26 central point -   27, 27 a corner -   38 a upper edge -   200 opening device -   201 tab -   203 support strip -   304, 305 support portion 

1. Packaging container for pourable food product, having a height and a width, the packaging container comprising: a first side having a material laminate structure with an outer surface and an inner surface adapted to face the pourable food product; a first transversal seal in a top portion of the package; a second transversal seal in a bottom portion of the package; a longitudinal seal extending from the first transversal seal to the second transversal seal; an opening device on the first side of the packaging container or on a second side substantially perpendicular to the first side, said opening device comprising: a tab portion on the outer surface coupled to an opening strip portion via a bridge penetrating through the material laminate structure to rupture the material of the packaging container to create an opening, wherein the opening strip portion is attached on the inner surface and extends along a substantial portion of the width of the first side.
 2. Packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the opening strip portion extends along more than 40% of the width of the first side, particularly more than 80%.
 3. Packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the opening strip portion extends from a transversal edge of the first side substantially parallel to the first transversal seal.
 4. Packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the opening device is arranged close to or on a transversal edge of the package separating the first side into a main side portion and a top side portion.
 5. Packaging container according to claim 4, wherein the tab portion of the opening device is arranged on the top side portion.
 6. Packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the material laminate structure comprises a plurality of layers and a weakened area, in which the bridge is penetrating the material laminate structure.
 7. Packaging container according to claim 6, wherein said weakened area is missing at least one layer of the plurality of layers.
 8. Packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the opening strip portion is arranged close to the first transversal seal in the top portion above a level of pourable food product filled into the container.
 9. Packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the first transversal seal is folded away from the longitudinal seal.
 10. Packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the opening device comprises a support portion to facilitate opening the package along the opening strip portion, the support portion arranged on the outer surface adjacent to an area on the outer surface opposite the opening strip portion.
 11. Packaging container according to claim 10, wherein the support portion is arranged closer to the second seal than the opening strip portion.
 12. Packaging container according to claim 10, wherein the support portion extends transversally and substantial parallel to the opening strip portion, having a length at least equal to the length of the opening strip portion.
 13. Packaging container according to claim 10, wherein the support portion comprises a first strip and a second strip, both arranged parallel to the opening strip portion, such that a distance between the two strips is equal or greater than a longitudinal dimension of the opening strip portion.
 14. Packaging container according to claim 10, wherein a distance in the longitudinal direction between the opening strip portion and the support portion is in the range of 0.1 to 2 times the thickness of material laminate structure.
 15. Packaging container according to claim 1, the first side further comprising one or more compression lines extending from the opening strip portion as to form an opening of the first side upon exerting pressure on the container with a component parallel to the transversal direction.
 16. Packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the first side comprises two compression lines extending close from or from respective edges of the opening strip to a common intersection on the first side or a bottom edge of the first side.
 17. Packaging container according to claim 15, wherein the first side further comprises a third compression line extending from substantially a center or close thereto of the opening strip along the longitudinal direction towards the second seal.
 18. Packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the first side comprises at least two compression lines extending from substantially a center or close thereto of the opening strip towards a bottom edge of the first side or a side edge of the first side.
 19. Method of producing a packaging container from a packaging material blank or web, the method comprising: providing a packaging material blank or web, said blank or web having a plurality of crease lines for folding the blank or web along these plurality of crease lines to form the packaging container; providing an opening device on the packaging material blank or web, said opening comprising a tab portion, an elongated opening strip portion and a bridge through the packaging material blank or web connecting the tab portion to the opening strip portion, wherein the elongated opening strip portion extends substantially parallel along a crease line separating a main panel from a top closure panel of the packaging material blank; folding the packaging material blank to form a bottom of a container and filling the container with liquid or folding the packaging material web into a tube, longitudinally sealing the tube, sealing a bottom side of the tube and filling a liquid into the tube and sealing a top of the packaging material blank or the tube of packaging material web. 